Rao leaves for Iran as US puts pressure on Tehran

NEW DELHI: Foreign secretary Nirupama Rao left for a four-day visit to Iran on Monday, even as US stepped up efforts to encircle Tehran for curbing its nuclear aspirations.

Ms Rao's first visit to Iran as foreign secretary coincided with revelations that Washington has deployed warships in the Gulf against possible Iranian missile attacks and had speeded up sales of anti-missile systems to Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain. This is being seen as part-II of the Obama administration to push Tehran to halt its nuclear programme, and is expected to shore up tension between the two countries.

In this backdrop, Ms Rao will hold discussions with deputy foreign minister for Asian and Pacific Affairs Mohammad-Ali Fathollahi. Sources said discussions would be spread over two days, covering the entire range of the bilateral relationship. The two sides would discuss expansion of Iran's Chabar port, rail connectivity from the port to Afghanistan and transit issues. The issue of terrorism emanating from Pakistan is also likely to figure during the talks.

Calling it routine consultations, sources said the foreign secretary's visit to Iran is part of the diplomatic outreach programme. Ms Rao has also been visiting countries in the neighbourhood since she took over as foreign secretary and was recently in Maldives.

But Ms Rao's visit is also the first high-level visit since India voted against Iran at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) last year. Even though New Delhi does not want another nuclear-armed country in the neighbourhood, it has balanced its position by saying that it supports Tehran's civilian nuclear aspirations as long as it is in keeping with its international obligations.

Late last year, New Delhi voted for an IAEA resolution censuring Tehran for developing a secret uranium-enrichment facility. But the resolution, which asked Iran to cooperate with IAEA, did not include any sanction. India had voted against Iran in Sept 2005 and Feb 2006. The first time New Delhi voted against Iran, Tehran had suddenly hiked gas price in the pipeline and LNG project.